Valve mechanism for tooth paste dispenser



Nov. 27, 1956 F. GERARD 2,772,033

VALVE MECHANISM FOR TOOTH PASTE DISPENSER Filed June 10, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 1 5 '1; 1 1 i@ i v I 1 l I i i .1 53 /0 m I V l '7 I g I. 1

-26 INVENTOR.

3 Gerard 22 3 BY ATTORNEY Nov. 27, 1956 F.- GERARD 2,772,033

VALVE MECHANISM FOR 'roocm PASTE DISPENSER Filed June 10, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 2 W Frank Gerard k f lg i' ATTORNEY Nov. 27,1956 F. GERARD2,772,033

VALVE MECHANISM FOR TOOTH PASTE DISPENSER Filed June 10, 1954' 3Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR F 10- 11 :Frank Gerard BY ezzawa w ATTORNEYUnited States Patent VALVE MECHANISM FOR TOOTH PASTE DISPENSER FrankGerard, Baltimore, Md.

Application June 10, 1954, Serial No. 435,877

4 Claims. (Cl. 222-340) This invention relates to devices for dispensingtooth paste upon tooth brushes and to the valve control mechanism fordelivering the desired amount of the dentifrice upon the brush at thedesired time.

Tooth or dental paste is marketed chiefly in collapsible metal tubeshaving screw caps. the tube when the latter is pressed or squeezed.Withdrawal of the paste from the tube by such squeezing has been founddisadvantageous and unsatisfactory from certain standpoints, such as theunsightly distortion of the tube after some of the paste is Withdrawn,the difficulty of withdrawing all of the paste from the tube, the lossor misplacement of the cap, etc.

Among the objects of this invention is the provision of a dispensingdevice for tooth paste whereby the disadvantages incident to thedispensation of tooth paste from the collapsible tube are overcome andalso the provision of means responsive to the movement of the toothbrush whereby the paste from a reservoir is forcibly expelled anddeposited upon the brush.

A more specific object of this invention is the provision of a novelvalve mechanism whereby a desired amount of tooth paste is delivered tothe brush and deposited on the bristles from the inner handle end to theouter free end.

Other, further and more specific objects of this invention will becomereadily apparent to persons skilled in the art from a consideration ofthe following description when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the paste dispenser without its covering,portions of the device being broken away to show the interior of thepaste reservoir and the valve mechanism. In this view are shown thepositions of the valves, piston and certain valve actuating means whenthe valve rod is at the lowermost point of its stroke.

Figs. 2 to 6 are fragmental views partly in elevation and partly insection showing the positions of the valves, piston and certain valveactuating means when the valve rod is at points other than the lowermostpoint of its stroke.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the paste dispenser shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the paste dispenser, with a portion of thecovering broken away.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the paste dispenser, with portions of thecovering broken away.

Fig. 10 is a cross-section through the piston chamber along line 10--10of Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is a cross-section through the piston chamber along line 11-11of Fig. 1.

Fig. 12 is a cross-section through the vestibule along line 1212 of Fig.l.

The paste extrudes from Fig. 13 is a detail perspective view of thebifurcated 7 "ice flange 12 at its bottom and is connected at the topthrough the S-link 14 to the rocker arm 16 disposed to swing upon thecrossarm 18, which is supported by the uprights 20 and 22. The stops 24and 26 on the arm 18 limit 1ongitudinal movement of the rocker arm 16 oncrossarm 18.

The uprights 20 and 22 as well as the uprights 28 and 30 rest upon thebase 32. The uprights 20 and 28 are connected at the top by the bar 34,and the bar 36 similarly connects the uprights 22 and 30. The rod 38secured to rocker arm 16, preferably by being welded thereto, has theeyes 40 and 42 for engagement with one end of the springs 44 and 46,respectively, the other end of spring 44 engaging the eye 48 in upright20 while the other end of spring 46 engages a similarly disposed eye inupright 22.

A bifurcated lever 50, forming part of the actuating mechanism, has abranch 52 integral with the bracket 54 which has an eye to receive theheaded pin 56. The other branch 58 of lever 50 is integral with thebracket 60 which has an eye to receive the headed pin 62. The pins 56and 62 are disposed to pass through eyes in bars 34 and 36,respectively, when these pins are in the eyes of their respectivebrackets, and thus constitute the pivots about which the lever 50 can beswung.

A tie rod 64, secured to the branches 52 and 58 at a distance belowrocker arm 16, has a projecting stem 66, substantially at right anglethereto and substantially in vertical alignment with rocker arm 16. Thisstem 66 carries the adjustable fulcrum 68, which is notched and bearsagainst the rocker arm 16.

The paste reservoir 2 has a downwardly projecting neck 70, preferablycylindrical, which provides the piston chamber 72 and holds theperforated partition 74 that separates the piston chamber 72 from thevestibule 76. The perforated piston 78, which fits closely in pistonchamber 72 and which reciprocates therein as will be hereinafterdescribed, has the external spindle which reciprocates in the bore 82 ofthe valve rod 10. This reciprocation is limited by the pin 84, connectedto the spindle 80, and the slots 86 in valve rod 10 wherein the pin 84moves, as well as by the adjustment of fulcrum 68 on stem 66. A shaft88, connected to and extending downwardly from the perforated partition74, has the head or stop 90 and supports the loose valve disc 92 thatoperates between this stop 90 and the bottom of partition 74, as will bedescribed later on. The discharge orifice 94 communicates with thevestibule 76. This orifice is located above and spaced from the base 32which has guides 96 and 98 for the slider 100. This slider 100 has achannel 102 for reception of tooth brush B and also has the upwardlyextending rear flange 104 for engaging the lever 50.

In operating this paste dispenser, with paste in reservoir compartment2, ports or perforations 106 of piston 78, ports or perforations 108 ofpartition 74 and vestibule 76, and with the slider 100, valve disc 92,piston 78, valve flange 12 and valve rod 10 in their respectivepositions as shown in Fig. 1, a tooth brush is inserted in the channel102 of slider 100. By pushing the brush forward, slider 100 being inengagement, by its flange 104, with the lever 50 will move the leveragainst the tension of springs 44 and 46 and communicate such movementby leverages, including projecting stem 66, fulcrum 68, and rocker arm16, to the valve rod 10, causing valve rod 10 to rise.

As slider 100 moves to the position shown in Fig. 2, the valve rod 10will move upward and slide along spindle 80 until pin 84 is at itslowermost position in slots 86 'of valve rod 10. Valve flange 12 willnow be above piston 78, which will not have moved from the positionshown in Fig. 1, thus uncovering ports 106 in piston 78. Also, valvedisc 92 still holds the position shown in Fig. 1.

" a -te the leverages will continue to move valve rod and" valve disc 92and the suction created in piston. chamber 72 by the upward movement ofpiston. 78 will cause tooth paste to be: drawn into piston'chamber 72through port-s 1%. a

1 As the tooth brush; is. started on its. return stroke, the tension ofsprings 44 and 46 will cause the leverages to force slider 1% to theposition shown in Fig. 5. Valve rod 1.0 has now moved downward, slidingalong spindle 80 until pin lid-is at its uppermost position in slots. 86of. valve. rod it 'Valve flange 12 has now closed ports 286 of piston'23 which has. not begun its return stroke,

, and ports. iii-dare still closed by valve disc 92.

As. the tooth brush continuesxcontinues. on'its return stroke, andslider 10% reaches. the position shown in Fig. 6. ports 166 will beclosed by valve flange 12, and the .tooth paste in piston. chamber 72will begin to be forced downward, thus forcing valve disc .92 away fromports 1&3 and discharging tooth paste from. vestibule '76 throughorifice S i -upon the tooth. brush in channel 102 of the slider 1&0, p a

As the tooth brush continues. further on its return stroke, tooth pastewill issue upon it-from orifice 94 until slider liiii returns to thestarting position shown in Fig. l.

Elie longitudinal'rneasurement of slot 86 in the valve rod determineshow far valve flange 12 moves away fromits valve seat at the top ofpiston 7i; when the ports for? are uncovered. Thestroke of piston 78.may be. varied and regulated by shifting the adjustable fulcrtlm 63 onthe stern 66, thereby determining how much tooth paste will be deliveredto the 'brushfor each reeiprocation of piston 78.

. The present invention is not limited to thefspecific details set forthin the foregoing examples which should be construed as illustrative andnot by way of limitation and, in view of the numerous modificationswhich mav be effected therein without departing from the spirit andscope of this invention, it is'desired that only such limitations beimposed as are indicated in the appended claims;

I claimas my invention: v 1'. A paste dispenser comprising in series areservoi compartment for tooth paste, an intermediate chamber, avestibule and an outlet orifice, a longitudinally. perforated pistonseparating the compartment from the chamber and disposed to reciprocatein said chamber and closely fit therein, a perfoarted partition betweensaid chamber and said vestibule, said piston having an external spindle,a valve rod having a valve'flange at its lower end, bore in said valverod extending upwardly from the bottom face of said valve flange, apimreceiving slot in said valve rod and spaced from said valve flange,

disc in said vestibule, a shaft fastened to said perforated partitionand projecting downward into said vestibule and through said loose valvedisc in said vestibule'and having a. valve stop spaced from the bottomof the perforated partition, said valve disc being. disposed to slidealong said shaft and'b etweenthe perforatedpartitionand said valve stopand to close the perforated portion of said partition against passage ofpaste therethrough when;

resting against said partition, said valve flange being disposed toclose the perforated portion of saidpiston against passage of pastetherethrough when resting on said piston, a slider disposed below saidoutlet orifice and adapted to be pushed by a tooth brush, a lever systemconnected to said valve rod and adapted to be actuated by said sliderand to reciprocate said valve rod.

2. A paste dispenser comprising in series a reservoir for tooth paste, apiston chamber, a perforated partition, a vestibule and an outletorifice, a piston having longitudinal ports therethrough disposed toreciprocate in said chamber and partially emergetherefrom into saidrescrvoir, said piston having an external spindle, a valve rod in saidreservoir and above said spindle and having a valve flange at its lowerend, a'bo re in said valve rod extending upwardly from the bottom faceof said valve flange, a pin-receiving slot in said valve rod and spacedpiston against passage of paste. therethrough when resting on saidpiston, a loosev valve disc in said vestibule, a shaft fastened to said.perforated partition and projecting v downward into said vestibule andthrough said loose valve disc in said vestibule and having a valve stopspaced from the bottom of theperforated partition, said 'valve discbeing; disposed to slide along said shaft'and between the'perforatedpartition and said valve stopand to close the perforated portion of saidpartition against passage of paste therethrough when resting againstsaid partition, a slider disposed'below said outlet orifice and adaptedto be pushed by a tooth brush, a lever system 1 connected to said valverod and adapted to' be actuated by said slider and to reciprocate saidvalve rod.

3. In a mechanism for dispensing paste in measured quantities from acontainer, a loose valve disc in said container, a perforated partitionin the container and having a projecting shaft below the perforations,said shaft passing through said loose valve disc 'slidably mounted onsaid shaft and movable along said shaft between the perforated.partition and a stop on said shaft, said valve disc serving to close theperforated portion against passage of paste therethrough when restingagainst said partition, a longitudinally-perforated, elongated: pistondisposed. to. reciprocate in a piston chamber above said perforated:partition and partially emerge from the piston into. a paste reservoirforming part of V the container, 2. spindle on said piston and having aprojecting pin, a. valve rod having a bore for holding said.

.spindle in slidable relation thereto, a slot in said valve rod forreceiving said pin, said pin and said slot serving to'limitreciprocation of said spindle in said bore, and a valve flange on saidvalve rod at its lower end adapted to close the perforated portion ofsaid piston against passage. of paste therethrough when resting on saidpiston.

4. Ina mechanism for dispensing paste in measured quantities from acontainer, a loose valve disc in said container, a partition in thecontainer, said partition having a shaft projecting from below andaplurality of ports, said shaft passing through 'said loose valve discslidably mounted on said shaft and movable along. said shaft between thepartition and a stop on said shaft, said valve disc serving to close theports against passage of paste therethrough when said valve disc'restsagainst said partition, an elongated piston having a plurality of ports,said piston being disposed to reciprocate in a piston chamber above saidpartition and partially emerge from the piston chamber into a paste.reservoir forming. p rt-.ofthe container, a spindle on said piston andhaving a projecting pin, a valve rod having a bore for holding saidspindle in slidable relation thereto, a slot in said valve rod forreceiving said pin, said pin and said slot serving to limitreciprocation of said spindle in said bore, and a valve flange on saidvalve rod at its lower end adapted to close the ports of said pistonagainst passage 5 of paste therethrough when resting on said piston.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSWillmann Jan. 12, 1904 Murphy Aug. 23, 1910 Brown et a1. May 27, 1924Berg Dec. 29, 1931 Bassett Dec. 18, 1934

